Yesterday was the anniversary of 911. At a little past nine on the bus I was riding to Holyoke the bus driver told us on the intercom that the event happened at about that very time seven years earlier. The whole bus, which had been noisy with conversation, fell silent.
The reason I was going to Holyoke is because that is the transfer city from Northampton to Springfield, where I was going for a dental appointment. As the taxpayers are paying for my medical care, I told the dentist that I wanted my whole mouth redone in white gold.
Just kidding!
When I arrived at the bus station in Springfield I saw that a new Subway grinder shop has opened in a bus station space where there used to be a crazy bar I spent too much time in back in the '80's.
My dentist is way up on top of State Street hill, so I had to wind my way through downtown to get there. I got up by Stearn Square and saw remnants of the Arts and Entertainment district still thriving.
However up where the Albano Gang once partied hearty it has become a desolation row.
Springfield is a city of contradictions, like this porno shop and a church side by side.
I hadn't realized that the dealers have gotten so bold!
This ancient hitching post bears silent testimony to better times.
When I reached the historic gates of the old Springfield Armory I knew I was near the campus of my old Alma Mata Springfield Technical Community College!
I graduated from that fine institution with a degree in Liberal Arts, which was perfect for what I later became in life - a liberal artist! From STCC I transferred to UMass.
Cutting across the campus towards State Street, I passed Building 20, which in my day was where most of the classes were held.
I decided to stop in for a minute to check out the old offices of the school newspaper The Ram, where myself and Kevin Claffey had once been co-editors. However, I found the building to be totally remodeled almost beyond recognition, so that new faculty offices have made the area where the newspaper office was totally inaccessible. However, it once lay down this hallway from the campus store and around the corner.
Cars now block the entranceway to where Professor Jack Holowitz had his photography lab, where I learned what little I know about professional photography. Keith Sikes used to practically live in that place.
The real beauty of the campus is the old architecture, some of it dating back to almost colonial times.
I finally arrive at the entrance to the campus, which I use as an exit leading toward State Street.
On State Street I run into my old roommate Joe Moss.
Joe and I used to rent an apartment on Dresden Street in the Square, near the infamous J&J Package Store. We were the only white people on the street, but with our psychedelic scene we showed the black folk a whole new way to party! So few of the sons of Pine Point from my generation are still living that it is a delight whenever a couple of us survivors get together.
But we couldn't talk long as I had to get to the dentist. This was the view from the dental chair.
Here is a video I made walking to the STCC Library.
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